1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a common inkjet print head module that can accommodate either a single-color or multi-color inkjet print head.
2. Description of the Related Art
Principal technologies for printer presently comprise inkjet printer and laser printer. Because of its low price and high quality performance, inkjet printer occupies a substantial part in the market of printers. A principal component of the inkjet printer is the print head that enables the ejection of the ink on the sheet of paper to be printed.
The print head conventionally operates in two fashions for ejecting the ink on the sheet of paper to be printed, those are the piezo-electrical fashion or the thermal bubble fashion. More particularly, thermal bubble technique typically uses heating elements that heat the ink and create vapor bubbles to eject the ink from the print head. With respect to high-resolution inkjet print heads, single-color print heads and multi-color print heads are generally differently designed. To improve the general resolution and speed of the printing, the prior art uses a high-resolution (usually 600 dpi) black print head combined with a low-resolution (usually 300 dpi) multi-color print head within the printer. Inkjet print head structure conventionally includes an ink cartridge and an inkjet chip arranged over the ink cartridge, and the design of these print head components are conventionally different depending on whether the print head is either a black or multi-color print head. With respect to the black inkjet print head, the inkjet chip is provided with, for example, a single ink slot through which black ink is ejected. In turn, in the multi-color print head, the inkjet chip is typically provided with three ink slots through which are ejected three-different-colors inks. The ink cartridge is differently designed to accommodate each of the above specific inkjet chips depending on whether both the ink cartridge and the inkjet chip form a black print head or a multi-color print head.
Because the traditional printer technology necessitates different designs of the print head, the manufacture cost and manufacture time are therefore increased, and a same product quality is hardly ensured for the differently-designed print heads.
An aspect of the present invention is therefore to provide a common module design for inkjet print head that can accommodate either a single-color or multi-color print head, and reduce thereby the manufacture cost.
To attain the foregoing and other objectives, the present invention provides a common inkjet print head module suitable for use within either a single-color or multi-color inkjet print head, wherein the common module comprises an ink cartridge and an inkjet chip. The ink cartridge has a cartridge body, and a cartridge ink output region located over the cartridge body, wherein the ink output region has an ink output. The cartridge body internally includes a plurality of ink channels that externally terminate through a surface of the ink output, wherein two adjacent ink channels are spaced apart from each other by a channel wall. The channel wall has a top surface that is approximately lower than the surface of the ink output through which the ink channels terminate and are exposed. A plurality of inks held in the ink cartridge can therefore flow out of the ink cartridge through the ink channels of the ink output. Furthermore, the inkjet chip is arranged over the ink output. When accommodating a single-color print head, the inkjet chip comprises a plurality of heating elements that define at least a first heating region, wherein a first ink supplier slot is arranged in the first heating region. When accommodating a multi-color inkjet print head, the heating elements, located in the same first heating region, define at least two second heating regions. In each of the second heating regions is arranged at least a second ink supplier slot, wherein two adjacent second ink supplier slots are spaced apart from each other by a slot wall.
When the above common inkjet print head module accommodates a single-color inkjet print head, the ink channels communicate with the first ink supplier slot, such that the single-color ink can flow through the ink channels and over the top surface thereof to the above-located first ink supplier slot. By heating, the ink can be therefore ejected from the first heating region onto a sheet of paper to be printed.
When the above common inkjet print head module accommodates a multi-color inkjet print head, the inkjet chip is arranged over the ink output such that each channel wall is located below one slot wall. Therefore, each of the ink channels communicates with one second ink supplier slot. Because the top surface of the channel wall is located lower than the surface through which the ink channels are exposed, a gap is created between the slot wall and the channel wall. This gap is sealed to isolate the two adjacent ink channels and ink supplier slots such that inks of different colors can be held therein.
The above common inkjet print head module can further include a tape automatic bonding and a nozzle plate, wherein the tape automatic bonding is electrically connected to the inkjet chip and the nozzle plate is arranged over the inkjet chip.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.